In automation systems, field-bus devices and higher-level control devices communicate with each other via a network, for example, via Ethernet. For this purpose, as a rule, a standardized communications protocol is used in order to be able to exchange data between field-bus devices and the higher-level control device. Because usually proprietary communications protocols are installed on field-bus devices, before the implementation of an automation system it must be decided which communications protocol and thus which field-bus devices of which manufacturers are to be used.